Safety belt



J. A. REITH SAFETY BELT April 27, 1943.

Filed April 25, 1941 Y INVENTOR. JOZ-PJ/fl FEW/i L0. Q ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27, 1943 SAFETY BELT Joseph A. Reith,

Waukee Safety Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Mil- Appliance (30.,

Milwaukee, Wis.,

a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 25, 1941, Serial No.390,234

7 Claims.

This invention safety belts and plings therefor, particularly adaptedfor use by Window cleaners, linesmen, and the like.

It is conventional practice with safety belts of this type to change theusual ropes or cables at predetermined intervals of time. In the oldtype of harness employing one-piece closed chocks or hanger blocks suchchange was difficult and required a great deal of time and attachingropes or cables of which may be quickly and safely substituted withoutrequiring a great deal of time or more skill than is ordinarilypossessed by the users of such belts.

Another object of the invention is to provide couplers for the attachingropes or cables which the window frame, and yet when engaged areprevented from becoming disengaged except by wilful manipulation of theuser.

A still further object of the invention is to between the couplers andthe ends of the attaching ropes or cables, which of great flexibilityand ease in manipulating the couplings while preventing excessive wearon the ends of the attaching ropes or cables.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by providing closed chocks orhanger blocks which are formed of two pieces. The cover or closing pieceis removable upon the disengagement of a fastening bolt or the like topermit the attaching cable or rope to be removed laterally from therope-receiving opening in the closed chock. The coupling member isprovided at the entrance of the anchor terminal-retaining slot with aspringbiased keeper which prevents the coupling from sliding off theanchor terminal except when the keeper is opened against the force ofthe spring By providing an 8-shaped coupling link between the ends ofthe attaching ropes or cables and the coupling, great freedom ofmanipulation of the coupler is obtained Without any excessive wear onthe rope as the result of the manipulation.

The novel features, which are considered characteristic of theinvention, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will7 together as best be understood from the following description of aspecific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a safety belt, attaching ropes,connecting links, and couplings embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view of the couplingpositioned on the out-ofuse retaining stud fastened to the belt; and

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the two-piece closed chock or hangertaken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the safety belt comprisesgenerally a waist-encircling belt I, a pair of crossed shoulder straps2-2 to aid in holding the belt in place, two closed chocks or hangerblocks 3-3 fastened at spaced intervals intermediate the ends of thebelt I, and an attaching rope or cable 4 slidably held in the chocks 3to each end of which is connected a coupling 5 by means of figure-8links 6.

perforations therein. On the other end of the belt there is mounted abuckle 8 of drop forged design which engages with the openings in thetongue 1 to adjustably attach the belt about the body of the wearer. Theshoulder straps 2 are crossed in the back of the wearer and are rivetedindicated at 9. The rear ends of straps 2 are secured at spaced pointson the central portion of the belt by rivets, indicated at H). The otherends of said straps are secured adjacent the open end of the belt bymeans of out-of-use retaining studs l lwhich have reduced rivet-likeportions. The shoulder straps 2 are adjustable by having incorporated ineach a buckle l2.

The closed chocks or hanger blocks 3 are iden tical in construction, andthe description will be limited to one. Each comprises a base portion l3and a closing member M. The base member 13 is provided with laterallyextending ears I5 at each corner thereof. The cars l5 have tures bymeans of which the base member is is riveted to the belt I, as indicatedat l6. base member I3 is also provided at its four corners withupstanding spaced lugs H. The lugs 17 are apertured to receive pivotpins and bolts. as hereafter described. The closure member M hasextending tongues it! which fit within the up standing lugs 15 01? thebase member 13. The

, r-igidlyhold it in place. "her closed while the attaching ropes M areposi- *tioned in the grooves grooves l are sufficiently is free to movelongitudinally through the chock bolt and :placeyet permitting it to bedriven 'changeof "iblexmulti-strand wire 'cableso this 'bight22 ispositioned a thimble 23. reaches of the rope immediately adjacent this'ficiently longer than the other so that abight reach is then spliced orthe shorter reach. This cover 23 to protect the tongues It also haveapertures which are in alinement with the apertures in the lugs I"! whenthe closure member I4 is flush against the base member l3. Each of themembers l3 and I4 have eomplemental grooves l9 extending laterallytherethrough, the cross sections of which are substantiallysemi-circular. The closure member I4 is permanently pivoted to the basemember |3 by a pivot pin 23 passing through the apertures in the upperof lugs I1 and tongue It. The depth of the spacing between the lugs H issufficient to permit member M to pivot about the rivet to the positionindicated by the broken line in Figure 3. In this position the attachingropes 4 may be removed laterally from .the grooves l9 and hence from theconfines of the chock 3. A bolt and nut assembly 2| is inserted in thealined apertures of the lower of lugs H and tongue l8, when the closuremember M is swung into flush engagement with the base member |3 to Withthe closure mem- |9, the circular openings formed by the eomplementalrelationship ofthe large so that the rope but is still held tothebelt-|. In-piace of the nut assembly a pivot pin similar to pivot pin 20maybe used and 'held in place by peening over an amountsufiicient tohold it in out-when a ropes is required.

The attaching rope or cable 4 comprises'afiexdoubled as to' formportion. In The a bi'ght 22 at substantially its center bight are lashedtogether by'binding '24 to per- 'manently hold the bight and thimble 22in posi- One of the reaches of the rope *4 is sufg may be formed thereinand a similarthimble 26 positioned in this bight. The end of the longermarried to the end of splice is placed immediately adjacent the thimble26 and'the spliced tion.

and the unspliced reaches are then lashed together by binding 21 topermanently hold the bight and thimble 2B in position. The rope 4 may beprovided with a spirally wound leather rope andbelt from wear and. alsoto prevent the rope from producing excessive wear in the rope-receivinggrooves IQ .of the closed chocks 3. It is tobe understoodthat the cablecan be made. single instead of double, .as shown. This is particularlytrue when flexible wire rope is usedinstead of manila rope. In such casebights are formed in each ,end of the cable by folding the end back on.itself around the thimble and splicing the end intothe body of .thecable immediately adjacentthe thimble. These splices can with lashing,the same as is done with thedouble cable. .It is also possible to.provide each end of the cable with a jaw end socket which is secured tothe and soldering, or using a sleeve,

wire by swedging as is commerwedge and socket terminal, such ciallyknown by the trade name Fiege fittings (see 19 :1 Catalog, Wilcox,Crittenden & Co., Inc.). The jaw end may then be directly coupled withthe couplings.

To each end of the rope 4 is connected a coupling 5. The couplings 5 areidentical in construction and only one will be "described. Each isIormed with an elongated body portion 29, which to its iurthermost "tionof the spring 36.

- the terminal passes is centrally recessed and flanged about therecess, as at 30. At the lower end, as viewed in Figure 2, the bodyportion 29 is provided with an angledextension 3| having an eye 32formed therein. The flanges 30 are open at the lower end, as viewed inFigure 2, and provide an entrance for permitting the enlarged head ofthe usual anchor terminal (not shown) fastened to a window frame orotherbase to enter into the recessed portion of the coupling. The headof the terminal engages with the flanges 30 and holds the coupling inplace on the terminal. In order to prevent the coupling 5 from slidingoff the terminal, there is provided at the entrance .akeeper33. Thekeeper 33 is pivoted, as at 34, to the inner :sides of the angledextension 3|, and has a spring 36 urging it in clockwise position, asviewed in Figure 2. The keeper 33 has an elongated leg 35 which lies inthe path of the head of a stud when the keeper is swung clockwiseposition by the ac- When the coupling 5 is being placed ona terminal,the head thereof will urge the keeper in counterclockwise directionagainst'the force in "spring 36, and will'permit the terminal toenter-into the recessed body 29 of the coupling. Immediately afterthehead of from under the leg 35, the to the position shown in full linesin Figure 2. In this position it is impossible to remove the couplingfrom the terminal as the leg 35 blocks the entrance. jTQpermit thecoupling to be removed, a thumb leg 31 is extended outwardly from and atsubstantially right angles to theleg 35. The leg 31 (while beinggenerally unexposed) 'maybe easily engaged by the thumb of the operatorto rotate the keeper '33 in a'counterclockwise direction againsttheforce of spring 36'to swing, the elongated leg 35 out of theentrance, as is shownfiin keeper 33 springs back broken line in Figure'2, whereupon the coupling One end is hooked into the bight of the cableand the other end through the eye 32 of a coupling '5. The free ends ofthe link are then bent around against the diagonal center bar and weldedtogether, as at 38. The manipulation of the ;coupling 5 is made easy bythe loose fit of'link"6, and wear is thereby prevented on the cable atthe bights.

The foregoing description makes clear the amount of time and skillrequired to ,prepare' an attaching rope with its splices, links, andconplings, an act which had to be done with the old type harness andpermanently closed chocks each time itwas necessary to change the ropes.This invention contemplates theforming of the -at-.

taching rope 4, including couplings on each end thereof, as a completelyassembled unit prepared in the factory and furnished to the user in suchcomplete shape. The user of the safety belt has only to disengage theattaching bolt and nut 2| from each of the chocks 3, swing the closuremember l4 away from the base member l3, laterally remove from thegrooves l5 ropes 4, and laterally reinsert the new attaching rope. It isthen only necessary to close the closure member l4 flush against thebase member I3 and reinsert the connecting bolt and nut 2|. Ifnecessary, a lock washer may be inserted beneath the :nut, .or the endof the 'boltmay be'peened over to prevent the nutfrom becoming loose.This the attaching eliminates the necessity for the user to make thesplices and do the welding essential to changing ropes when the oldstyle permanently closed chock is used.

Although there is shown and described a certain specific embodiment ofthe invention, many modifications thereof are possible. The invention isnot to be restricted except in so far as is necessitated by the priorart and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety harness comprising a belt, a ropereceiving closed chocksecured to said belt, an attaching rope having coupling means forengaging anchor terminals, said rope being disposed in and freelyslidable through said chock and said chock having a movable portionproviding access thereto whereby said rope and said coupling means maybe assembled upon or removed from said belt as a unit.

2. A safety harness comprising a belt, a twopiece rope-receiving closedchock secured thereto, an attaching rope having coupling means forengaging anchor terminals, said rope being disposed in and freelyslidable through said chock, one of said chock pieces being detachableto pro vide access to said chock.

3. A safety harness comprising a belt, a closed chock comprising a basemember secured to said belt and having a rope-receiving groove thereinand a closure member detachably secured to said base member and having arope-receiving groove therein cooperable with the rope-receiving grooveof said base member to provide a rope-receiving opening, an attachingrope disposed in and freely slidable through said opening and providedwith coupling means for engaging anchor terminals, and means forsecuring said closure member to said base member.

4. A safety harness comprising a belt, a closed chock comprising a basemember secured to said belt and having a rope-receiving groove thereinand a closure member detachably secured to said base member and having arope-receiving groove therein cooperable with the rope-receiving grooveof said base member to provide a rope-receiving opening, an attachingrope disposed in and freely slidable through said opening and providedwith coupling means for engaging anchor terminals, and detachable meansfor securing said closure member to said base member.

5. A safety harness comprising a belt, shoulder straps attached to thebelt for supporting the latter on the body of the wearer, meansincluding coupling members carried by the belt for attachment to anchorterminals, the attachment of one end of said shoulder straps to the beltcomprising rivets having upstanding studs formed thereon for supportingsaid coupling members when not in use.

6. In a safety harness comprising a belt and an attaching rope securedthereto, a coupling member for securing each end of said rope to ananchor terminal, each coupling member having a longitudinal slot thereinadapted to receive said terminal, a spring actuated pivoted keeperpermitting entrance to but obstructing passage from said slot, andmanually operable means for removably attached and detached as a unit tothe belt for anchoring the same to a support.

JOSEPH A. REITH.

